Newsies Forever
by KnightNight7203
Summary: "We're newsies forever, Jackie. No matter what life throws at us, we boys have got a bond nothing can take away." In which Davey reassures Jack that nothing can take away from everything the boys have accomplished together.


**So Marcelle (hi Marcelle! :) wrote that lovely, heartbreaking story about Jack moving out of the lodging house due to the Unspeakable Act. Which I absolutely adored. But nobody's written anything about Davey moving on, and so I decided to come up with something as a tribute to the marvelous Ben Fankhauser's character. Which, by the way, is he even okay?**

**Anyway, standard disclaimers apply. If it was mine . . .**

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"Where were you today, huh?"

Jack's voice rings out across the entrance of the lodging house, high and angry. Davey, seated in his usual chair in the corner, looks up from his book in surprise.

"What do you mean?" His voice is hesitant – he'd hoped to avoid this conversation for at least a while longer.

"I mean, you weren't out sellin' papes with me an' the guys. You or Les. Scared us half to death." Jack is practically shouting now.

Davey sighs, flipping the heavy volume shut and pushing himself to his feet. Jack takes a step back as he approaches, eyeing the serious expression on his face warily.

"I came to tell you. My father's gone back to work."

The blank stare Jack gives him expresses his complete lack of comprehension. "The hell is that supposed to mean? Good for him. Now where were you?"

"Jack. Les and I are back in school now."

There. He's said it. Surely he shouldn't feel so responsible for the hurt that crosses his friend's expression, the little breath of air that rushes audibly from his lungs as though he's been punched.

"But sure you don't got to," he says finally, shaking his head, his eyes still faintly hopeful. "Didn't your parents read the papes? You're a hero now. Heroes don't need none of that school crap, Davey."

"But I _want_ to go back to school."

Jack still refuses to get it. "Why?" he demands.

"Because I want to _do_ something with my life!" Davey explodes, his voice growing louder even as Jack's fades with defeat. "I want to do something that'll help people – become a doctor, maybe, or get a law degree. So I can stand up for nobodies like us. I can change the world, Jackie! All I have to do is work a little more."

Jack flinches back, visibly stung. "Is that what you think of us, Davey? Huh?" His voice cracks a little.

"Jack, that isn't–"

"No, listen." Jack doesn't even move to hit him to shut him up, just stands there with his arms limply at his sides. The lack of brotherly contact tells Davey he's really upset. "What we did was important, even if it ain't good enough for you. We _already_ changed the world. You shouldn't be so quick to forget that."

"But why stop there?" Davey interrupts excitedly, taking advantage of Jack's need to take a breath. Jack has to understand why this is so important to him. "Between your drawings, Katherine's articles, and whatever I decide to do, we can go so much further! Just imagine it: a whole generation, represented and defended by three poor kids from Manhattan."

"Well, two poor kids and an heiress." Jack shakes his head. "You're crazy."

"Maybe," Davey retorts. "But just think what folks were sayin' about you a couple of weeks ago."

"I still think it's a lousy idea. Wastin' your time in school when you could be out there, explorin' the city, livin' your life. You're only seventeen once, Davey."

"Duly noted. Remember, you hate New York."

Jack does smack him now, sending his hat tumbling to the ground. But when he straightens after retrieving it, Davey sees him smiling.

"Nah, New York ain't so bad anymore. Turns out you just have to share it with the right people."

"That's what Katherine and I have been saying all along," Davey points out, but he's not sure Jack hears him. He's frowning, clearly thinking the situation over to himself. Finally he looks up with a serious expression on his face, and Davey braces himself for another explosion.

"So what are you still doin' here, if you're a big fancy school kid again?" Davey breathes a sigh of relief as he hears the teasing note in his friend's voice when he finally speaks. "Ain't you got homework or somethin' to do?"

He rolls his eyes. "I'm just in school, Jack, not dead. The rest of the time I'll still be here. What would my mother and I talk about if she wasn't complaining how much time I spend at the lodging house?"

"You'll still hang out with us? Even if you ain't a newsie anymore?"

Davey nudges Jack's side with his elbow gently, shaking his head at the other boy's question. "You're saying I'm not a newsie just 'cause I can't sell papes every day? After everything we've been through?"

Jack frowns. "I dunno. I guess not . . ."

"We're newsies forever, Jackie. No matter what life throws at us, we boys have got a bond nothing can take away. You got that?"

A hint of a smile crosses Jack's face, and he swats at Davey's hat again. "I got it," he says as Davey ducks. "Newsies forever."

"And don't you forget that, Jack Kelly."

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**Reviews are confidence boosters. If you see any mistakes, let me know and I will fix right away!**

**Much love,  
KnightNight**


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